being kept waiting

USAGE SUMMARY

"being kept waiting" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe the act of waiting for someone or something, often for an extended period of time. It implies that the person is not in control of the situation and is being forced to wait. Example: "I was frustrated from being kept waiting for over an hour at the doctor's office." In this sentence, the speaker is expressing their annoyance at the fact that they had to wait for a long time at the doctor's office. "Being kept waiting" emphasizes that the person had no choice but to wait and implies that it was an inconvenience.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

He asked to see the department head but left after being kept waiting for two hours.

The New York Times

Journalists invited on her 777 whistle-stop tour of the world last year complained about constantly being kept waiting for the star.

Independent

Thousands of angry pay TV and rural broadband customers are not the only people being kept waiting by BT, it has emerged.

The Guardian - Business

BAE Systems, the defence and aerospace giant, revealed healthy sales and profits on Thursday, despite being kept waiting over a new order of Typhoon jets from Saudi Arabia.

The Guardian - Business

Two executives from the Firm, Jeff Kwatinetz and Michael Green, showed up backstage at a concert in Orlando, Fla., and, after being kept waiting for an hour outside the group's dressing room, burst in and made their pitch.

The New York Times - Arts

She found out that it did after turning up 10 minutes late for meetings with executives a few times and being kept waiting for 40 minutes or told she would have to reschedule.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

His prospective new client, of course, is kept waiting.

The New York Times

The Turks have been kept waiting for decades.

The Economist

Those ships cannot be kept waiting for a berth.

The New Yorker

Otherwise, he would have been kept waiting a long time.

The Economist

Patients were kept waiting while sales representatives were whisked in.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

This phrase is particularly effective in professional complaints or news reports to emphasize an inconvenience caused by another party.

Common error

Do not use "being kept waiting" if you are simply describing the act of waiting of your own volition. Use "waiting for" or "expecting" if the wait was anticipated or voluntary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "being kept waiting" is a passive gerund phrase. It functions as a noun within a sentence, often serving as the object of a verb (like "hate" or "dislike") or a preposition (like "after" or "of"). According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe a state of being subjected to a delay.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "being kept waiting" is a highly effective and grammatically correct passive construction used to describe delays where the subject lacks control. Data from Ludwig shows that it is a staple in professional journalism and academic research, particularly when discussing customer service, patient care or political negotiations. It carries a slightly more negative or emphatic nuance than simply "waiting" because it implies an external cause for the delay. Whether you are writing a formal complaint or a news report, it remains an authoritative choice for expressing the experience of an imposed wait.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

being made to wait

Emphasizes the external compulsion or force behind the delay more strongly

left waiting

Suggests a sense of abandonment or neglect by the person responsible

held up

Commonly used when a specific event or person causes the delay

having to wait

A more neutral way to express the necessity of waiting

delayed

A concise, adjective-based alternative for the state of waiting

waiting around

Implies a lack of purpose or boredom during the wait

suffering a delay

More formal and often used in the context of travel or logistics

cooling one's heels

An idiomatic and more informal way to describe being forced to wait

standing by

Suggests a state of readiness rather than just passive delay

staying on hold

Specific to telecommunications and waiting for a response on a call

FAQs

How to use "being kept waiting" in a sentence?

You can use it as a gerund phrase, for example: "Nobody enjoys "being kept waiting" for an appointment."

What can I say instead of "being kept waiting"?

Depending on the tone, you could use "being delayed", "left waiting" or even "made to wait".

Which is correct: "waiting" or "being kept waiting"?

"waiting" is the active form, while "being kept waiting" is passive. Use the latter to emphasize that someone else is responsible for your delay.

Is "being kept waiting" too informal for business?

No, it is a neutral and professional phrase. As seen in examples from Ludwig, it is frequently used in high-quality journalism and business contexts.